Granger emerges as closer for playoff-bound Pacers

By CLIFF BRUNT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Danny Granger smiled broadly when it was suggested his nickname should be "The Closer."

It's a reputation he has coveted for a while.

Granger ranks 10th in the NBA in scoring average the past five years, but he often has been criticized for not taking over games down the stretch. For the best Pacer since Reggie Miller retired, it was the worst possible knock.

But the 6-foot-9 forward has been Milleresque for the past month. He has averaged 7.8 points in the fourth quarter and overtime in 10 games since the start of April. During those stretches, he shot 47 percent from the field, made 12 of 19 3-pointers and hit 16 of 17 free-throw attempts. Indiana won eight of those games.

"I really thrive from the pressure, honestly," he said after scoring 13 points in the fourth quarter of a win over Oklahoma City on April 6. "I love the pressure, I love taking big shots. I love taking free throws at the end to seal the game."

Granger has reconstructed his image with flair.

On April 1, Granger scored 13 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, then blocked a shot by Houston's Chandler Parsons at the final buzzer to preserve a 104-102 win.

Two days later, Granger scored 14 of his 27 points in the final period as the Pacers rallied from 17 points down late in the third to take a 112-104 victory over New York. He scored five big points in an overtime win at Cleveland on April 11, then scored 12 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter of a 118-109 win over Milwaukee.

Overall, Granger averaged 21.6 points in the month of April, seventh-best in the league, and the Pacers went 11-2 in the games he played. He's one of the main reasons the Pacers enter their first-round series with Orlando as the league's hottest team.

"He's just coming," Indiana coach Frank Vogel said. "He's got one of those deals where you can smell the playoff atmosphere in the air. He's just dialed in."

Granger averages 21 points when the Pacers win and 15 when they lose, so Indiana needs to him to play well to bolster its chance of advancing in the playoffs for the first time since the 2004-05 season.

"This is the best I've seen D.G. play," Indiana forward Tyler Hansbrough said. "He's our guy. That's what I expect from him. Obviously, when he's clicking good, we're all better, too."

Granger couldn't find his stroke early in the season as he adjusted to the lockout schedule. He averaged 18 points in the first part of the year, shot 38 percent from the field and was left off the All-Star team despite Indiana's overall improvement.

"My shot didn't really feel good," he said. "I would make some because I'm a good shooter, but it really didn't feel good until the second or third week of March."

Since the All-Star game, Granger is averaging 19.4 points and shooting 45 percent from the floor.

"Over the past month and a half, I feel like I've gotten some nice rhythm like I've had in past years," he said.

Granger believes if the All-Stars were chosen after the second half of the season, he'd make it. He said failing to make the All-Star team didn't bother him.

"Not really because I know I am," he said. "They took the All-Stars off the first 24 games of the season, and if you didn't have a good 24 games, you didn't make it. I didn't really take it as a low blow. I know what I'm capable of, and my job is to lead this team."

He's doing that, even with a strong cast of teammates that includes David West and first-time All-Star Roy Hibbert. West, a power forward the Pacers picked up right before the season started, said Granger has become comfortable with his role.

"I just think he's gotten in a good rhythm," West said. "As a team, we're in a rhythm. When that happens, a guy the caliber of him is going to play at a high level."

Granger was an All-Star in 2009 and was selected the league's most improved player at the end of that season after averaging a career-best 25.8 points. He's playing at least that well now.

"Sometimes, people go through ups and downs, and maybe he didn't get off to the best start this season, but he's finishing strong," Hibbert said. "He's been our scoring threat from the perimeter and he's done really well. He's been very consistent, and he's playing defense as well."

Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/cliffbruntap

Updated April 27, 2012